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Sri Lanka trade fair good example of public-private partnership

BATTICALOA, Sri Lanka, 11 July 2011 – Some 7,000 people, including rural entrepreneurs, local marketers and producers, and representatives of the government, the private sector and international associations and organizations took part in a trade fair that ended in city of Batticaloa on Sunday.

The three-day event, organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) at the Hindu College Grounds, helped create market linkages and demonstrate a strong public-private partnership.

The fair was part of UNIDO’s project on rehabilitation and reconstruction support for rural community based self-help initiatives among women in the tsunami affected provinces of Sri Lanka.

Key participants at the event included the Chief Minister of the Eastern Province, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan; the Mayor of the Municipal Council of Batticaloa, Sivageetha Prabakaran; the District Secretary of Batticaloa, Suntharam Arumainayagam; the Vice Chancellor of the Eastern University, K. Premkumar; and the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, D.N. Wijegunawardana.

“The trade fair was the first of its kind in Batticaloa since the 1970’s,”said Gloria M. Adapon, UNIDO Project Manager. “It was organized in partnership with the Batticaloa District Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (BDCCIA) in an effort to showcase Batticaloa’s local products, skills and vibrant micro and small industries while creating further opportunities for increased sustainable economic development through rural enterprise growth at the village and regional levels.”

UNIDO has been in working Trincomalee and Batticaloa since 2007 on a range of projects in support of sustainable livelihoods recovery together in partnership with the UN Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS).